1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices, and in particular to an improved method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices by using a TaOxNy film as a gate oxide film.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, in highly integrated semiconductor devices, a gate oxide film of a device having line widths of 0.1 xcexcm or less has an effective oxide thickness of below about 40 xc3x85 in order to reduce in short channel effects and to provide efficient control of channels. However, such a thin gate oxide film increases the leakage current due to a direct tunneling, which causes deterioration in the transistor properties and a refresh time relating to the resultant capacitor.
Accordingly, in a conventional art, a Ta2O5 film, which is a metal oxide film having a high dielectric constant, is used as the gate oxide film of the transistor, rather than the conventional SiO2 film.
FIG. 1A illustrates a conventional method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices. As shown in FIG. 1A, a SiO2 or SiON film 2 is formed on a semiconductor substrate where a device isolation film (not shown) has been formed.
A Ta2O5 film 3 having a high dielectric constant is formed on the SiO2 or SiON film 2 by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Here, the Ta2O5 film 3 is a metal oxide film having a high dielectric constant. The Ta2O5 film 3 is formed by using Ta(C2H5O)5 as a raw material and O2 or N2O as a reaction gas.
Thereafter, a TiN film or WN film 4 is deposited on the Ta2O5 film 3 to form a metal barrier, and a conductive polysilicon film or metal film 5 is deposited thereon as the gate electrode material.
Although not illustrated, a subsequent process for forming the transistor is performed according to a known method.
However, when the metal gate electrode is employed on the Ta2O5 film, as shown in FIG. 1B, a threshold voltage is over +1V due to a work function of the metal gate.
In order to reduce the threshold voltage, phosphorus is used in a channel ion implantation process, instead of boron. When phosphorus is ionimplanted, a buried channel is formed in an NMOS transistor, not a surface channel.
In addition, containments comprising carbon atoms, carbon compounds and H2O exist in the Ta2O5 film formed by the reaction of Ta(C2H5O)5 and O2 or N2O, which increases the leakage current of the gate and degrades the dielectric properties.
Therefore, in order to prevent an increased leakage current level and degraded the dielectric properties, the conventional method requires an additional oxidation process for stabilizing the unstable stoichiometry by oxidizing vacancy Ta atoms in the Ta2O5 film, and also typically requires two or three high and/or low temperature annealing processes after the deposition.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices which can prevent a leakage current by using a TaON film having a stable stoichiometry as a gate oxide film.
In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, there is provided a method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices, including the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate where a device isolation film has been formed; depositing an SiO2 or SiON film on the semiconductor substrate; depositing an amorphous TaOxNy film on the SiO2 or SiON film; performing a low temperature annealing process to improve quality of the amorphous TaOxOy film; performing a high temperature annealing process in ex-situ to remove organic substances and nitrogen in the amorphous TaOxNy film, and crystallize the amorphous TaOxOy film; and depositing a metal barrier film on the crystallized TaOxNy film, and depositing a polysilicon film or metal film for a gate electrode on the metal barrier film.
In addition, there is provided a method for forming a gate for semiconductor devices, including the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate where a device isolation film has been formed; growing an SiO2 or SiON film on the semiconductor substrate; forming an amorphous TaOxNy film on the SiO2 or SiON film; performing a low temperature annealing process on the amorphous TaOxNy film by using plasma or UV; removing oxygen vacancies and organic substances in the amorphous TaOxOy film; crystallizing the amorphous TaOxNy film by performing a high temperature annealing process, such as a rapid thermal process (RTP); and forming a metal barrier film on the crystallized TaOxNy film, and forming a polysilicon film or metal film for a gate electrode on the metal barrier film.